VICKSBURG, Miss. (AP) – The Democratic mayor of Vicksburg thinks he’s figured out a way to straddle the partisan divide in politics: He’s going to declare himself an independent, so that in the future he’ll only have to run in general elections, not primaries.

The Vicksburg Post reported Tuesday that Mayor George Flaggs Jr. says he’ll formally leave the Democratic Party by March 20.

Flaggs says the rebranding will allow him to better represent Democrats and Republicans.

The Post reports that Flaggs may be interested in running for lieutenant governor or seeking a third term as mayor.